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UNiTED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

YILLIAM R. FEARN, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND WESLEYC. VINCENT, OF SAME PLAGE.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,421, dated December14, 1880.

Application tiled March 10, 1880. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. FEARN, of Savannah, in the connt-y ofChatham and' State of Georgia, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Railroad-Switches, ot' which the following is aspecification. l

The object of my invention is to provide for openingand closing theswitches of a railroadtrack from a train passing over them, so as to 1oplace control of the switches in the hands of the engineer or train-men;and my invention consists, first, in a switch wherein the switchleversare connected to a rod extending in both directions from the switch, andthe said rod is itted with crank-levers that extend between'.

switch. Fig. 2 'is a longitudinal section of the same, showing also theswitch-moving device 3o as tted to a car. Fig. 3 is a cross-section online x of Fig. 1. Fig. tis a cross-section on line y y. Fig. 5 is asimilar view on line z z, and Fig. 6 is a vertical section of theswitchkey and its hanger. v 3 5 Similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts.

Referring to Fig. l, a a are the rails of the main track, b b the railsof siding, and-c c theL moving switch-rails. The switch-rails c are 4opivoted at one end, and at their moving ends are secured upona block orplate, d, that is itted to slide transversely of the track. e is asignal connected with block d in such manner that it will exhibit theposition of the 4 5 switch-rails.,

f is a rod tted at one side of the track upon a block, f', and extendingin bot-h directions therefrom the required distance.

g gare toggle-levers connected one with the 5o rod h and the other withthe block d, that carries the switch-rails.

g is apin or projection upon the block f', with which pin the toggles gcome in contact when moved by rodf.

his a lever hung on the cross-tie next to block d, and having its outerend connected to bar f through one of the toggles g, while itsinner/endeamitpifn, h', (see Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) that extends in o arecess in the block d when the switch is closed to either track, and 6ois withdrawn therefrom by the movement of rod j to shift the switch bymeans of the connections described.

As the rod f is moved in the direction of arrow l the section of toggleattached thereto moves across from stud g' to the cross-tie withoutpushing the slide-block Land during this lost motion the lever hwithdraws the pin h', when the toggle, pushing the unlocked slideblock,causes the switch-rails c c to connect the 7o tracks a, b, when thelever his again moved to lock the slide-block d. 'In moving the rails cc to connect the two parts of track a, the barf is moved in thedirection of arrow 2, when the toggle-section attached thereto is movedacross 7 5 from the cross-tie to the stud g without actuating the slide,so that during the lost motion the pin h may be withdrawn 5 then,working against thestnd g', the toggle-section movesthe slide and bringsthe switch-rails c c between 8o the two parts of track a a.

i 'i' are crank -levers fitted in suitable bearings on the cross-ties ofthe main track a a, and having their outer ends pivoted to rod f, whiletheir inner ends are bent upward between the rails a. These levers t' iare tted one above and the other below the level of rod f, and theircrank ends are bent in opposite directions, so that the movement of t inthe direction of the arrow shall move the switch to the siding, and 9othe movement of 2'. in the same direction shall move the switch to themain track. In the main track, at the opposite side of the switch, isalever, i2, similarly arranged and connected to rod f, so that itsmovement by a car approaching the switch shall open the switch to themain track.

l is a crank-lever connected to rod j, and extending to and bent upbetween side-track rails b, so that its movement in the direction oftheroo arrow by a train approaching the switch shall shift the switch tothe siding.

l2 is a crank-lever fitted for operation by a train passing from themain track to the siding, and intended to allow' the train to set theswitch to the main line after passing.

The means for moving the cranklevers of the switch are shown in Figs. 2and (l, and are as follows: t" is the platform of au engine or car. k isa hanger attached rigidly to under side of the platform, and stiftenedby braces k. l is a block or key hung upon the lower end of hanger k bya knuckle-joint, so that it may swing transversely of the car. m is acranklever hung in a slot of hanger k, having its lower end connected bya link with key I, and its upper end connected with a treadle, n, thatextends up through the platform i to a con renient position foroperation by the train-men. o is a spring bearing on treadle n, andtending to throw the treadle up and the key l down.

2o p is a plate or lng on platt'orm i', engaging parts are arranged insuch position that when the key is turned down hy pressure on treadle nit will come in contact with the switch-levers as the train lnovest'orward, and when turned up at one side by rise of the treadle the ke)and hanger will pass above the switch-levers without contact.

The operation is as follows: A train approaching the switch is carriedto the main track or siding, (or the switch closed in case it is open,)without stopping the train, by turning down the key l to come in contactwith the bent end of the particular switch -lever that operates theswitch, as desired.

The signal e shows at all times the condition of the switch, so thatthe, engineer of the train may see what movement is required, if any, tocarry the train in the desired direction.

lt will be understood that the crank-levers are arranged, in practice, asuitable distance apart and from the switch for the proper operationofthe mechanism before the train reaches the switch.

Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patcntl. The coinbinatiomwith the rodf, operating asdescribed, and the switch-rail slide-block d, of their connecting-toggleg, Working between a fixed stud, g', and a crosstie to give lost motion,as and for the purpose specitied.

2. In switches, the combination, with the sliding block (l, carrying theswitch-rails, and the rod f, by which the block d is moved, ot' thelever h, connected with rodfand carrying the locking-pin h',substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The hanger lr, hinged block or key l,lever m, and treadle n, combinedwith the car and engine platform, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

4. In combination with the notched treadle n, that operates the key l,the spring o and plate p, as and for the purposes set forth.

W M. ROBERT FEARN.

Witnesses:

WM. l. JOHNSON, W. J. WHETs'roNE.

